Taking A Break

Haruhiro dodged to the right, the sword that's aimed at him almost grazed him. As the sword hit the ground, it broke it and made pieces of the ground scatter. These pieces flew in different directions.

Some of it hit Haruhiro hard on his body. However, he remained unfazed from it. He shook it off and continued to run around the enemy in circles.

Nanako shot more of her flames at the enemies all over the battlefield. Each flame arrow would incinerate an enemy down to ashes. These enemies are unlike the rest that they've fought before. These are slower and weaker but the amount is twice or maybe even thrice that of the amount they have been fighting before.

[Undead Villager killed, obtained 6 Greed Points.]

[Undead Villager killed, obtained 5 Greed Points.]

[Undead Villager killed, obtained 9 Greed Points.]

[Undead Villager killed, obtained 5 Greed Points.]

[...]

[...]

Notifications about Nanako's kills ceaselessly popped out. Haruhiro however ignored all of it and continued to dodge the greatsword of the enemy.

Right now they're fighting the "other line of defense" that was mentioned in the journal of the Clergyman. It's a warrior-type of undead that has a higher speed and higher attack power than the rest of the short-range enemies the two have fought.

Because of this, Haruhiro is having a hard time fighting it not to mention the other undead that's swarming them. Without Nanako's support, Haruhiro will really have a hard time fighting this battle.

[Undead Warrior, Lancer Beverdrine

- Warrior tasked with the mission to protect the Temple of Goddess Terra. A Warrior that never backed down in any face of adversity, he used his greatsword to cleave his enemies and his body as his shield to protect those in need of protection. He was killed along with those that he needed to protect. A celebrated hero along with Saint Ibanhiel.]

Haruhiro has tried attacking using his knives but it would always be deflected by either the greatsword Lancer is swinging around or by the armor that it's wearing.

This enemy is different from the rest.

The Undead Warrior Lancer as Haruhiro and Nanako observed used to be a middle-aged man. The armor Undead Lancer's wearing is not in tatters like the rest. The only problem that its armor has is a hole in the chest area.

From the way Haruhiro and Nanako can see it, this hole was made by something extremely sharp. The hole is as large as Haruhiro's fist, the other side could be seen when looking at this wound.

The armor its wearing is made of hard leather, its also wearing gauntlets, and greaves. The enemy swung the greatsword around like it weighs nothing.

Haruhiro threw another pair of throwing knives and once again it was parried by the enemy. However, this time he pushed on. He summoned his shadows and run straight into the enemy, the enemy not ready from the change of Haruhiro's plan is still holding the greatsword like a shield.

When it noticed that Haruhiro is closing in, it immediately raised its greatsword to attack Haruhiro. It was however too late.

Haruhiro made three of his shadows merge into one and formed it into a tentacle with a sharp point. He expected it to drill into the enemy's head but what happened astounded both Nanako and Haruhiro.

The shadow was stopped by a green glass-like wall. It enveloped the whole enemy's body. They both recognized that its a barrier, however, they don't understand how it appeared.

[Undead Villager killed, obtained 5 Greed Points.]

[Undead Villager killed, obtained 3 Greed Points.]

[Undead Villager killed, obtained 9 Greed Points.]

[Undead Villager killed, obtained 7 Greed Points.]

[Undead Villager killed, obtained 4 Greed Points.]

[...]

[...]

[Undead Villager killed, obtained an item.]

Nanako continued to shoot her flame arrows to the swarming undead and when she finally killed the last one an item finally dropped from a normal spawned monster.

Haruhiro noticed this but he wasn't able to give some attention to it because the enemy attacked.

The enemy retreated once it saw how Haruhiro attacked. When the barrier was hit by the shadow it lasted for a whole second before shattering. Then the enemy didn't wait for Haruhiro to gather his wits from the surprise, it attacked. Thrusting its greatsword, it moved forward.

Haruhiro leaped to his left side in order to avoid this attack, the enemy saw this and swung the greatsword to his direction. Haruhiro leaped up to avoid getting hit by it.

Nanako took advantage of this and shot a larger than usual flame arrow at the enemy. It hit the target right at its body and flames erupted, consuming the whole body of the enemy.

Both Nanako and Haruhiro let out a sigh of relief when they saw the flames erupt. This enemy can't possibly be still alive after getting burned by Nanako's flames.

Haruhiro waited for the notification of the enemy's death to pop up but after waiting for a few seconds nothing came out. He frowned when he realized this.

"Nanako, get ready. It hasn't died."

"What!? What do you mean it hasn't died?"

Before Haruhiro could reply the flames died out and Undead Lancer came out with little to almost no burns in its body. Its armor is shining with a silver light, evidently, it was able to survive because of a special effect that the armor has.

Haruhiro didn't wait for it to move first, he moved fast. He threw the last pair of throwing knives at the enemy and didn't stop there. His shadows were summoned and made to attack the enemy.

The enemy dodged the throwing knives easily and was about to dodge the two shadows that are moving in on it but it found itself stuck in the same place.

Unknown to it, two shadows that have the form of ropes are binding its two legs. Making it unable to move from that spot. It decided to cleave it using his greatsword but it was unable to.

Haruhiro's two shadows stabbed its head. Its movement halted and after a few moments it then it dropped its greatsword.

[Undead Warrior, Lancer Beverdrine killed. Obtained Blue-Edged Cutter, Hero's Pendant, 150 Greed Points.]

Seeing the notification pop up, Haruhiro could finally feel at ease. His body slowly lost strength and dropped to the ground, his face looking at the ceiling of the room they are currently in.

"Haru-chan!" Nanako shouted. She runs to him and seeing that he's alright and only trying to catch his breath she relaxed. Nanako then sat down beside him.

Haruhiro looked at her and smiled. He then thought of the contribution she did in this battle and felt proud. If it wasn't for her killing all those stray undeads he would have had an even harder time to kill the enemy.

After a while, he stood up. Nanako was about to follow suit but he stopped her with a wave of his hand, signaling to her that she shouldn't follow him.

He slowly gathered the Greed Points scattered around the ground. Once he completed it, he looked at the card he picked up. Ava had informed him that it's called an Item Card.

Item Cards can only be found in dungeons dropped by monsters. Haruhiro looked at the card and smiled.

[Village's Gratitude: Bracelet

- For letting all the villagers' soul rest in peace, you have their respect and gratitude. Enhances SPR attribute.

- Bounded item: Nanako]

"Let's take a break," Haruhiro suggested to Nanako in which she replied to by nodding her head. They sat down to the wall closest to them. They both looked around their environment for the first time.

The room is almost as large as a basketball court, at both edges of the room are two pairs of large double doors. Haruhiro doesn't know why such a room exists in a temple but he doesn't care. He looked at Nanako and discovered that she has closed her eyes to rest.

Haruhiro then took out the Item Card and crumpled it in his hand. Once he did, a light was emitted by it and revealed a simple blue macrame bracelet. He held onto Nanako's left hand and placed the bracelet on it.

Nanako opened her eyes when she felt Haruhiro touch her hand and when she saw what he placed, she's pleasantly surprised. "Wow, Haru-chan a gift from you. It's so cute."

She lovingly stroked the bracelet as Haruhiro explained what it could do. Nanako heard his explanation and is even happier. She immediately wanted to try the effect of the bracelet.

Standing up, she focused her attention and felt the surge of energy around her gather in front of her even faster. Nanako could feel the energy revolve around her, then she released it.

The flame arrow is larger than what she usually shoots. It seems that the bracelet is efficient. It allows her to shoot her flames with more power but less energy spent.

Haruhiro is also surprised by this outcome. "That's good Nanako, I'll be even more confident in leaving tomorrow." Nanako turned around when she heard him speak, she looked at him with warmth in her eyes. She then dove into his embrace.

He didn't understand why she suddenly dove into his embrace but he welcomed it. Haruhiro embraced her petite waist tightly with his right hand as his left hand stroked her hair gently.

"I love you Haru-chan."

"Nn. I love you too Nanako."

They looked at each other's eyes and before they knew it their mouths are already against the other. Haruhiro greedily kissed Nanako, his tongue entered her mouth and explored it. The both of them lost track of time and.

"Fufufu, seems like our break will be very interesting Haru-chan."